1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an industrial endoscope apparatus of the type in which a monitor can be detachably mounted on a casing in which a control device and a light source device are formed as one device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Endoscopes are classified into medical endoscopes used for observing organs in a body cavity and industrial endoscopes used for observing the interior of a boiler, a turbine, an engine or a chemical plant.
In an industrial endoscope apparatus used for inspecting an object to be inspected, such as a boiler, a turbine or an engine, an industrial endoscope and a peripheral device are generally carried to the site where the object to be inspected is placed for inspection.
In the case of an industrial endoscope apparatus which employs a fiber scope as the industrial endoscope, only a light source device is required to be carried as a peripheral device to the site where the object to be inspected is placed for inspection in addition to the fiber scope. Thus, it is easy to carry such an endoscope apparatus from one place to another.
In the case of an industrial endoscope apparatus employing an electronic endoscope as the industrial endoscope, however, a control device, a light source device and a monitor must be carried to the inspection site as the peripheral devices in addition to the electronic endoscope.
Hence, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 59-70384 discloses the industrial endoscope apparatus in which the light source device and the monitor are formed as one device in order to improve the portability thereof. Japanese U. M. Laid Open Hei 3-27203 discloses the industrial endoscope apparatus in which the monitor can be mounted later on a peripheral device in order to give the workability priority. U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,456 discloses the industrial endoscope apparatus in which a control device, a light source device, a video processor and a power source device are formed as one device while a monitor is provided independently of these devices.
However, in an industrial endoscope apparatus in which the individual components are provided separately or in which the peripheral device and the monitor are formed separately, the plurality of devices, including the monitor and the peripheral device, must be transported for inspection in addition to the endoscope. Thus, the transportation of the endoscope apparatus is not easy.
The industrial endoscope apparatus in which the peripheral device and the monitor are formed as one device in order to improve the portability of the apparatus suffers from a problem in that it is difficult to look at the monitor depending on the posture or position of the operator because the monitor is provided at a fixed position.
The industrial endoscope apparatus in which the monitor is connected to the peripheral device after the transportation of the apparatus has a drawback in that it is difficult to carry the apparatus from one place to another and in that the workability thereof is deteriorated because the apparatus requires a system setting each time inspection is conducted.